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Hisam Mehboob
Ngrok: Expose Localhost to the Internet
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Ngrok: Expose Localhost to the Internet

·3 mins·
Linux Local Host Tunneling
Hisam Mehboob
Author
Hisam Mehboob
metaphysically displaced person
Table of Contents

1. Introduction
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Sometimes you need to share a local application with the outside world, maybe to demo your project, test a webhook, or allow a teammate to access your development server.

Normally, you’d need a public IP, port forwarding, or a cloud server. ngrok removes all that complexity by creating a secure tunnel from the internet directly to your machine, giving you a public URL instantly.

2. Prerequisites
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Before we begin, make sure you have:

  • A terminal
  • A free ngrok account (for authentication token)
  • A running local service (e.g., a Python HTTP server, web app, or API)

3. Installing ngrok on Linux
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We’ll cover installation for Arch Linux, Debian/Ubuntu, and Fedora.

3.1 Arch Linux
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This package is not in the official repos, install it from the AUR:

yay -S ngrok

3.2 Debian / Ubuntu
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sudo apt update
sudo apt install snapd
sudo snap install ngrok

Alternatively, download the binary from the ngrok downloads page.

3.3 Fedora
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sudo dnf install snapd
sudo ln -s /var/lib/snapd/snap /snap
sudo snap install ngrok

4. Authenticating ngrok
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Once installed, you need to connect it to your account so you can use custom domains, longer session times, and access the dashboard.

  1. Sign in to ngrok dashboard. -> Your AuthToken
  2. Copy your AuthToken.
  3. Run:
    ngrok config add-authtoken <YOUR_TOKEN>
    You will see: Authtoken saved to configuration file: ~/.config/ngrok/ngrok.yml

5. Exposing a Local Service
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For example, if your local web server is running on port 8080:

ngrok http 8080

You’ll see output like:

Now you can share the HTTPS URL with anyone. It wil be similar to: https://random.string.ngrok-free.app

6. Adding Basic Security
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You can protect your tunnel with a simple username and password:

ngrok http --basic-auth="user:password" 8080

Anyone visiting the public link will need credentials.

7. The Inspector
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One of ngrok’s most powerful features is its built-in web interface, accessible at http://127.0.0.1:4040. This interface lets you inspect every single request that comes through your tunnel in real-time. You can see headers, request bodies, and response details, and even replay requests with a single click—an absolute lifesaver for debugging webhooks.

8. Common Use Cases
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  • Webhook testing — Connect services like GitHub, Stripe, or Twilio to your local environment.
  • Temporary demos — Share work-in-progress with clients without deployment.
  • Remote device access — SSH into a Raspberry Pi without changing router settings.

9. Conclusion
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In just a few commands, you’ve learned how to:

  • Install ngrok on popular Linux distros
  • Authenticate your installation
  • Share a local service securely

From here, you can explore ngrok’s advanced features like static domains, IP allowlists, and traffic inspection.

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